Failure
by ErinHiddlestoner
Summary: A two shot story about Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold's reaction to losing Belle. First half is just after the Queen tells him of Belle's "death." The second is after Gold realizes Belle's cup is missing. Rumbelle. Angst. T for cursing cause I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1

_So I actually wrote this fic about a month ago while waiting for my aunt's doctor appointment to end. I just didn't feel confident enough in the story to post it, not to mention things in RL got in the way. But I figured, hey, why not? I apologize if it is terrible. This will most likely be a two-shot fic; I'll hopefully post the second half tomorrow. _

_Disclaimer (since I forgot to add it to the last two fics): I do not own Once Upon A Time, Belle, Regina, or Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold (dammit!)_

Chapter One

"She died."

If the Queen had reached into his chest and pulled out his still beating heart, she could not have surpassed the amount of pain Rumpelstiltskin was currently experiencing.

His Belle, dead. No, it wasn't possible; she had to be lying. Perhaps that fool of a king had shut her out, but no father would ever torture their own child, no matter what or who the child had been "associated" with.

The Queen let loose one last barb as she left, but the Dark One could barely hear it over the roaring in his ears. No, not roaring. _Screaming._ Belle's scream. Nausea filled him as the screams increased in pitch. Images of his Belle's flawless skin lashed to ribbons filled his mind and he stumbled.

No! The evil bitch was lying. She was just using Belle to try to weaken him again. Rumpelstiltskin let that thought push every other one out of his mind as he reached out with his magic to find Belle; as soon as he sensed her, he would know for sure that the Queen was trying to deceive him.

Nothing. He could find everyone else in Belle's duchy, even her potentially guilty father, but no trace of the girl herself. The nausea came back tenfold, as did the screaming.

Maybe she had gone to see the world, just like she had so wanted to. Rumpelstiltskin clung desperately to that hope, unwilling to accept the Queen's story. He tried to focus on Belle's future, tried to ascertain her position in the world so that he could be sure that she was alright. That she was unharmed.

Still nothing. There was no trace of Belle anywhere in his future searching, not even within his own.

He went cold, the screaming becoming all that he could hear. More images of Belle's torment as described by the Evil Queen flashed before his eyes at breakneck speed, only slowing as Belle leaped from her tower and crashed to the ground like a ragdoll thrown by a child.

The Queen had been telling the truth. Belle, his Belle, his _True Love_, was gone. She was gone _forever_. She wasn't coming back. Not this time. Not anymore. Not ever again.

He clenched his hands into fists as pure _agony_ filled every fiber of his being. Belle's parting words seemingly echoed around the room, a ringing of truth within them.

"You're going to regret it…forever. All you'll have…is an empty heart…and a chipped cup."

She was right; oh how she was right. The memory of their last encounter was coloured with nothing but regret. He should have checked on her; he should have gone after her. He should never have sent her away from him. Sent her to her death.

He briefly tried to believe that maybe the Queen had done something, had hidden his Belle away, had somehow done something to stop him from finding her. But no, it wasn't possible: the Queen was nowhere near as powerful as he was. He would have found Belle if the Queen had her. Still, he did a cursory sweep of her palace; Belle's light was nowhere to be found.

The pain that filled his being, seemingly centered around his heart, worsened with every step he took across the room. He picked up _her_ chipped cup gently; in that one moment, it had suddenly become far more precious to him than almost anything else. Rumpelstiltskin cradled the memento of Belle close to chest, where he should have kept the girl herself, as he removed the jewel-encrusted chalice from its pedestal. The chalice didn't deserve that place of honor; its value was practically nothing compared to this flawed little cup. He would keep that cup there as a reminder of what he had unknowingly sacrificed.

His face crumbled as he finally let loose the tears that had been building since he had realized that Belle was gone. He had _failed_ her, in so many ways. He had failed to protect her, failed to rescue her as he should have. He had failed to be brave for her, as she had been brave so many times before. She had been willing to do what he couldn't, to give up everything for him, just like his Bae had. And just as with Bae, he had lost her to his own cowardice.


	2. Chapter 2

_Here's the second half of "Failure." This part takes place in Storybrooke after Belle's Cup is stolen. Again, I apologize if it isn't very good. I'm not completely happy with it, but I'm drawing a blank on how to make it sound better._

_Happy 6 month anniversary, Rumbellers! We made it through the feels and the tearful reunion. :)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, Emma Swan, Belle, or Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold. Please don't sue me; I am just a lowly high school senior._

Chapter Two- Rescue

Mr. Gold returned home in as sour a mood as ever. He _despised_ Valentine's Day; all it ever did was remind him of all of the mistakes he had made all those years ago. And of what those mistakes had cost him.

Taking French's van had boosted his spirits, somewhat, but even that small vengeance for Belle's death wasn't enough to make up for what had happened to the Beauty. No matter how much he tormented Moe French, it would never bring Belle back. No matter how much he wished it would.

The sight of his front door ajar shook him out of his musings. So once again, someone thought they could pull one over on the Dark One, even if he wasn't nearly as powerful in this world.

Grabbing his gun, Mr. Gold began to investigate. After the situation with Cinderella earlier, he be damned if he'd let someone have the chance to attack him again.

A floorboard creaked behind him and he whirled around, only to see Sheriff Swan with a gun of her own.

"Neighbor saw the door open and called it in," the Saviour explained, putting her gun away.

"It seems I've been robbed."

"Funny how that keeps happening to you."

"Well… I'm a difficult man to love."

As the words left his lips, Gold's eyes landed on the glass cupboard behind Sheriff Swan. His heart stopped as he noticed it sitting wide open.

Wide open and very _empty_.

The cup. _Belle's_ cup. It was gone.

There was no doubt in his mind who the culprit was. Moe French, the man he had just humiliated in the street. Storybrooke's incarnation of Belle's murderer. Her own _father._

Gold wanted Sheriff Swan gone and now. He had a man to find and the Saviour would only hinder his efforts toward justice, not only for the cup, but for Belle herself. He couldn't allow Emma to stop him; he wouldn't allow anything to stop him from getting his precious cup back.

Belle's father had already taken his Belle away, he _would not_ let him take away the only piece of Gold's love that he had left. He would tear Storybrooke apart if that is what it took to find French.

He would rescue Belle's memory, as he should have rescued her. He would not fail in this. He would not fail _her._ Never again.


End file.
